The results were surprisingly modest. Unplugging idle electronics had reduced some unnecessary consumption, but it had not transformed my monthly electricity bill. I had spent weeks imagining electricity disappearing through every outlet, when the real situation was much smaller.

A phone charger sitting empty used almost nothing, and the microwave displaying the time wasn’t secretly draining a fortune. The larger savings came from equipment that remained partially active for long periods, particularly entertainment devices and older electronics.

I began focusing only on the appliances that actually mattered. The television, game console, extra cable equipment, printer, and other electronics that stayed in standby mode were connected to switched power strips.

Before leaving for a long trip, I could turn off the entire group with one switch instead of crawling behind furniture and unplugging individual cords. Devices that became warm while supposedly switched off received special attention because that heat was evidence that they were still consuming energy.